Pub. 1540 Business Taxes for Hotels, Motels and Restaurants

If there is a conflict between the law and information found in this publication, the law remains the final authority. Under no circumstances should the contents of this publication be used to set or sustain a technical legal position. A library of current policy information is also available on the Kansas Department of Revenue’s website at: ksrevenue.org

PDF printable copy is located here.

A Kansas hotel or motel may be required to collect and remit up to six different business taxes administered by the Kansas Department of Revenue. For example, hotels and motels are required to collect the Kansas Retailers’ Sales Tax on their rental of sleeping rooms and sales of tangible personal property. Many local taxing jurisdictions (counties or cities) have imposed a Transient Guest tax to be collected by hotels and motels. Furthermore, hotels often operate restaurants or clubs which sell alcoholic beverages, upon which a Liquor Drink Tax is due. When hotels, motels and restaurants make purchases the general rule is that they must pay sales or compensating use tax, while other purchases qualify for a tax exemption.

This publication is designed to help you understand how the various Kansas taxes apply to your daily business activities as a hotel, motel or restaurant operator. Businesses with an understanding of Kansas tax laws and regulations will save time and money by avoiding costly errors and omissions.

Table of Contents

KANSAS SALES TAX

This publication has been developed to address the Kansas retailers’ sales, compensating use, liquor drink, cigarette and tobacco, dry cleaning and transient guest tax situations that you will encounter as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast or restaurant operator. It should make collecting, reporting and paying these taxes more understandable and less burdensome. Points of law are illustrated using industry examples.

Many of the basic rules, regulations and helpful tips regarding Kansas sales and use taxes are explained in Pub. KS-1510, Kansas Sales and Compensating Use Tax. Another useful publication is Pub. KS-1520, Kansas Exemption Certificates. We refer to these publications often and recommend all retailers have copies of them in their tax files. Both are available on our website.

SALES TAX STRUCTURE AND SOURCING

Kansas retailers’ sales tax was enacted in 1937 at the rate of 2%. The rate has increased to the current state rate of 6.5%. In addition to the 6.5% state sales tax, counties and cities in Kansas have had the option of imposing a local sales tax since 1978. Kansas retailers collect the combined rate of tax and remit it to the Kansas Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue is charged with administering the Kansas Retailers’ Sales Tax Act, including disbursement of the local sales tax to cities and counties.

Destination sourcing applies in determining the applicable local sales tax rate. The local rate in effect at the location where the purchaser first receives the tangible personal property or taxable services applies to the transaction. For a hotel, the local rate applicable to room charges would be the hotel location. If the hotel sells tangible personal property (such as a gift shop), the applicable rate would be that in effect where the purchaser receives the item. See page 5.

As a general rule, hotels and restaurants will collect the state and local rate in effect at your business location. A list of tax rates for all Kansas locations is in Pub. KS-1700, Sales & Use Tax Jurisdiction Code Booklet. When in doubt about a local city or county rate, contact the City or County Clerk for that area.

SALES THAT ARE TAXED

Generally, Kansas sales tax is collected on the gross receipts received from three types of taxable sales. Most hotels are engaged in making all three types:

  1. retail sale or rental of tangible personal property*;
  2. sale of admissions to places providing amusement, recreation or entertainment; and
  3. sale of specifically enumerated services, including the service of renting of rooms by hotels or accommodation brokers. [K.S.A. 79-3603(g)]

* Tangible personal property is defined as items that can be touched or felt, have a value attached to them, and are movable.

RETAILER RESPONSIBILITIES

As a retailer of taxable goods or services you are required to collect the sales tax from your customers and remit it to the Kansas Department of Revenue. For every taxable sale, the invoice, receipt or bill must show that the total amount of sales tax due was collected or must be accompanied by a completed sales tax exemption certificate. An exemption certificate is a document completed by the buyer and kept in the seller’s records that states why the sale was exempt (see Pub. KS-1520). In collecting sales tax, you act as an agent of the state in tax administration. It is at this point of sale that questions often arise about the application of sales tax to a particular transaction.

As a purchaser you are also responsible to accrue and remit use tax when your vendor (such as an out-of-state vendor) does not bill and collect the tax from you on your purchases. Use tax applies to the purchase price of the item and any shipping or handling charges imposed by the out-of-state vendor. See page 13 for details of use tax requirements.

SALES BY HOTELS

HOTEL DEFINED FOR RETAILERS' SALES TAX

Kansas sales tax is imposed on the total gross receipts received from the rental of rooms by hotels as defined by K.S.A. 36-501. For sales tax purposes, a hotel includes a bed and breakfast, cabin camp, hotel, motel, tourist cabin or court, and any other type of lodging unit with at least four sleeping rooms available for rent to the general public. Throughout this guide we will use the term hotel to mean any establishment that is required to collect Kansas sales tax on the rental of its sleeping rooms as described below.

Accommodation Brokers

Accommodation Brokers are businesses maintaining an inventory of two or more rooms in one or more locations which are offered for pay to a person or persons. An accommodation broker's receipts are subject to sales tax regardless of the length of stay; whereas transient guest tax is not collected on rooms rented for more than 28 consecutive days to the same person or entity.

IMPORTANT: A different definition of a hotel is used for transient guest tax purposes (see page 9).

To summarize, you must collect sales tax on your rental of sleeping rooms when the number of sleeping rooms available for guests is at least:

  • 4 – state & local sales tax for hotels
  • 2 – state & local sales tax for accommodation brokers

SLEEPING ROOM RENTALS

As a general rule, sales tax is imposed on the total gross receipts received from the rental of sleeping rooms by hotels at the rate in effect where the room is located.

Sales tax does not apply to the rental of non-sleeping rooms such as ballrooms; banquet, meeting or reception rooms; office space, etc.

EXAMPLE: An Anycity, KS motel operator rents 20 sleeping rooms at $60 each and one meeting room at $50. The motel will collect sales tax on $1,200 (20 X $60 = $1,200) and no sales tax on the $50, when the charge for the meeting room is separately stated on the customer invoice. The sales tax rate is the combined state and local rate in effect for Anycity, KS (7.3%). $1,200 X .073 = $87.60 sales tax.

The rental of sleeping rooms is subject to sales tax regardless of the length of stay. A common misunderstanding is that the rental of sleeping rooms to a guest for more than 28 consecutive days is not subject to sales tax. Since 1992, the rental of sleeping rooms for more than 28 consecutive days has been subject to sales tax. A different rule applies to Transient Guest Tax. See page 9.

EXAMPLE: A bed and breakfast owner has five sleeping rooms for guests. One room is rented for 50 consecutive days to the same customer. Sales tax is due on the total amount received by the bed and breakfast for the room rental.

Other Room Fees

Gross receipts for sleeping rooms includes any additional fee charged upon check-in for roll-away beds, additional person in room, etc. Cleaning or damage charges, which are not part of the normal room fee for similar guests and are to cover costs to clean or repair damages occurring after the guest has begun to occupy the room are not taxable. Higher room charges imposed at check-in for any guests who occupy a smoking room or to have pets in the room are part of gross receipts and are taxable.

EXAMPLE: The charge for a smoking room is $15 more than the charge for a non-smoking room. Such charge is taxable. After discovering a guest has damaged a room door, the hotel imposes a $50 repair charge. Such charge is not taxable.

No Show Revenue

No show revenues (deposits, room guarantees, etc.) received by hotels for the rental of sleeping rooms are still subject to sales tax, even when the guest never takes possession of the room. Deposits that are returned to the guest are not subject to sales tax.

EXAMPLE: A guest guarantees a reservation by billing a sleeping room to his credit card. In a change of plans, the guest does not stay in the room and does not call the hotel to cancel the reservation. The hotel bills the guest for the sleeping room. The bill must include sales tax.

Convention Deposits

Convention deposits are not subject to sales tax until or unless they are applied toward taxable room charges.

Exempt Room Rentals

As stated above, the general rule is that the rental of sleeping rooms by a hotel is subject to sales tax. There are, however, a number of entities that have been granted a sales tax exemption by Kansas law [K.S.A. 79-3606(a) et seq]. These hotel guests are allowed to make a direct purchase (rental) of sleeping room(s) exempt from sales tax by providing a completed exemption certificate, discussed on page 25. To be exempt as a direct purchase, the room charge must be billed directly to the exempt buyer and paid for by cash, check, voucher or credit card from the exempt buyer.

Some of the more common entities exempt from sales tax are as follows. See Pub. KS-1520 for a complete list.

  • The U. S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities
  • The state of Kansas and its political subdivisions (Kansas cities, counties, school districts)
  • Elementary and secondary schools
  • Parent-teacher organizations (PTA or PTO)
  • Nonprofit educational institutions
  • Nonprofit hospitals
  • Nonprofit blood, tissue and organ banks
  • Nonprofit 501(c)(3) historical societies
  • Nonprofit 501(c)(3) museums
  • Nonprofit 501(c)(3) primary care clinics
  • Nonprofit 501(c)(3) religious organizations
  • Nonprofit 501(c)(3) zoos
  • Rural volunteer fire departments

Direct Purchase Exceptions

Direct purchases (rentals) of sleeping rooms by hotels and accommodation brokers to the federal government and its agencies and instrumentalities are exempt from sales tax. Moreover, “indirect” rentals of sleeping rooms to officers and employees of the federal government (and its agencies and instrumentalities) are also exempt from sales tax when the room rental is made in association with the performance of official federal government duties, regardless of method of payment.

The sales tax exemption for rural volunteer fire departments exempts both direct and on behalf of (indirect) purchases. Thus, agents of rural volunteer fire departments may purchase exempt from sales tax when the rental of the room is used exclusively in the performance of its (the rural volunteer fire department’s) duties and functions, regardless of method of payment.

CAUTION: The exemption for state agencies and political subdivisions is not applicable to other states, or their cities and counties. Only Kansas cities and counties are exempt from paying Kansas sales and use taxes on their direct purchases. Otherwise, if an exemption has been granted to an entity, such as a church, that exemption would apply whether the church was located in-state or out-of-state.

Sales to Exempt Entities Not Based in Kansas

Many of the exemptions granted under K.S.A. 79-3606 also apply to non-Kansas organizations. While a Kansas-based organization must provide its numbered certificate (or Form PR-78SSTA with a Department of Revenue-issued ID#) to make an exempt purchase of goods or taxable services in Kansas, many non-Kansas exempt organizations will not have been issued an Exempt Entity ID#. While encouraged to obtain (apply online) the Exempt Entity ID#, a non-Kansas exempt entity (such as a school located in another state) making a direct purchase in Kansas will simply need to complete an exemption certificate for the retailer. The ST-28 Designated or Generic Exemption Certificate, has been designed for this purpose. May also use Form PR-78SSTA.

Credit Cards

Many governmental agencies are issuing credit cards to their employees who travel or make purchases while on official business or on behalf of the agency. When the agency is responsible for payment of credit card charges, purchases made by employees with said credit card are exempt from Kansas sales or use tax. When someone other than the exempt entity is responsible for payment of credit card charges, the purchase is not exempt from sales tax.

EXAMPLE: A Ford County, KS employee travels to a city in Kansas on business and pays his hotel bill with a countyissued credit card. No sales tax is due on the bill as this purchase is exempt as a direct purchase by Ford County. This is because the credit card charge is billed directly to the county and the credit card bill is paid for with Ford County funds.

EXAMPLE: In contrast, this same employee travels to Hays, KS on official business and pays the hotel bill with a personal credit card. The employee is later reimbursed this expense by Ford County. The employee pays all applicable taxes on the hotel bill because it is not a direct purchase between Ford County and the hotel.

Exemption Certsificates

Hotels must follow the basic rule of sales tax for all retailers — either collect sales tax on the rental of sleeping rooms or obtain a completed exemption certificate from your customer. All sales tax exempt purchases (and rentals) by the tax exempt entities cited above should be accompanied by the appropriate exemption certificate. Hotels should retain a copy of all completed exemption certificates for at least 3 years after the date of the sale.

For exempt entity sales tax exemption claims, hotels may require that payment be made on the exempt entity's check, warrant or voucher or charged to the entity's account as a condition for honoring the entity's exemption claim.

General information about exemption certificates as well as the certificates most often used by the hotel and restaurant industries are included in this publication beginning on page 25. All blank exemption certificates currently available for use are in our Pub. KS-1520, Kansas Exemption Certificates.

LAUNDRY SERVICES

Taxable labor services in Kansas include servicing, altering or maintaining tangible personal property, such as clothing and shoes. Laundry services and dry cleaning are subject to sales tax. Sales tax is also due on any fees charged for washing, drying, pressing, folding, dry cleaning, mending and/or altering clothing for others. The rate of sales tax due is the rate in effect where the customer takes delivery of the laundry/dry cleaning services.

Exception for Coin Operated Laundry

Kansas sales tax (or the Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge discussed below) is not due on coin operated laundry services - washers, dryers, irons. [K.S.A. 79-3603(f)]

Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge

In addition to the state and local sales tax on dry cleaning or laundering services, there is also a Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge of 2.5%. If you provide dry cleaning and/or laundry services for your customers whether in-house or sent out, you must be registered to collect the Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge on these services.

EXAMPLE: An Anytown, KS hotel guest requests dry cleaning services provided by the hotel. The guest is charged $10 plus 7.525% sales tax, plus the 2.5% Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge for the service. $10 + $0.75 sales tax + $0.25 dry cleaning charge = $11 total due.

NOTE: When a sale is subject to more than one tax, each tax should be separately stated on the bill. If the 2.5% dry cleaning surcharge is included in your charge for the service ($10.25), then the $10.25 becomes the tax base for computing the sales tax. $10.25 X 7.525% sales tax = $0.77, for a total due of $11.02.

When a hotel sends its guests’ clothing out to a third party laundry or dry cleaner, the hotel may purchase this service exempt from the sales tax and the surcharge with a ST-28X Dry Cleaning and Laundry Retailer Exemption Certificate on page 28. The hotel operator will collect the Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge and the sales tax on the total cleaning bill to its guest.

EXAMPLE: A hotel guest requests laundry services which the hotel sends out to Anne’s Laundry. The hotel will give Anne’s Laundry a completed Dry Cleaning and Laundry Retailer Exemption Certificate (pay no sales tax or environmental surcharge to Anne’s Laundry) and will charge its guest sales tax plus the Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge on the $10 dry cleaning and/or laundry service. The Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge is not collected on: services provided to the public through coin operated devices; laundering and rentals of uniforms, linens, dust control materials and other textiles for commercial purposes that are cleaned without using dry cleaning solvents; and services purchased directly by entities exempt from paying sales tax (see page 4).

More information about this surcharge is in the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Notice 99-10, available in the Policy Information Library on our website.

GIFT SHOPS

Sales of items from gift shops, newsstands, etc. are subject to sales tax. All items a hotel purchases for the purpose of reselling to its guests (inventory) can be purchased tax free with a completed ST-28A Kansas Resale Exemption Certificate, given to the hotel’s supplier(s). You then collect sales tax on the total sales price received, including any shipping or handling fee charged by the hotel. The rate of tax due on the sale of tangible personal property is the rate in effect where the customer takes delivery/possession. If the customer takes possession of the purchased item in your hotel, the rate of tax due is the rate in effect at your hotel. If you ship the item, it is the rate in effect at the Kansas shipping address. See Pub. KS-1700 for a list of Kansas jurisdictions.

Shipping, handling and freight charges themselves are not subject to sales tax. However, shipping fees charged in conjunction with the sale of tangible personal property are taxable when shipped to a customer in Kansas.

EXAMPLE: A guest buys a glass vase for $50 plus a $10 shipping charge from a hotel gift shop in Sample, KS, and requests that it be shipped to Anyplace, KS. The hotel will charge sales tax on the $60; the Anyplace, KS rate (currently 6.50%), rather than the hotel’s Sample, KS rate of 7.15%. The hotel has arranged for UPS to pick up packages every day. No sales tax is paid to UPS.

Shipments Out of State

Kansas sales tax is not due on the sale of the item (or any shipping or freight charge) if it is shipped, transported or delivered to a point outside of Kansas.

EXAMPLE: The guest buying the glass vase in the previous example requests that the item be shipped to Ozark, MO. Since it is being mailed outside Kansas, Kansas sales tax is not due on either the vase or the shipping. However, the consumer of the vase in Ozark, MO may owe a Missouri Use Tax — contact the Missouri Department of Revenue for that information.

AMUSEMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT

The sale of admissions to places providing amusement, entertainment or recreation is subject to Kansas sales tax. A cover charge is an example of a taxable admission.

EXAMPLE: An Anycity, KS hotel charges $25 per couple to attend a New Year’s Eve celebration. Food and drinks are billed separately. Kansas sales tax is due on the $25 admission fee. The food and nonalcoholic drinks are also subject to sales tax.

EXAMPLE: An Anycity, KS hotel charges $125 per couple to attend a New Year’s Eve celebration. The separately stated items on the billing include two dinners (valued at $40), a sleeping room (valued at $70) and one bottle of champagne (valued at $15). Kansas sales tax is due on the $40 dinner and the $70 sleeping room. Transient guest tax is also due on the $70 sleeping room (see page 9). Liquor drink tax is due on the champagne (see page 11). The bill with tax separately stated would appear as:

1 - Sales Tax
$70.00 Sleeping Room
+ 40.00 Dinners
110.00
x .072 Sales Tax Rate
$ 7.92 Sales Tax

2 - Transient Guest Tax
$70.00 Sleeping Room
x .50 Transient Guest Tax Rate
$ 3.50 Transient Guest Tax

3 - Liquor Drink Tax
$15.00 Champagne
x .10 Liquor Drink Tax Rate
$ 1.50 Liquor Drink Tax

4 - Total Tax
$ 70.00 Sleeping Room
+ 40.00 Dinners
+ 15.00 Champagne
+ 7.92 Sales Tax
+ 3.50 Transient Guest Tax
+ 1.50 Liquor Drink Tax
$137.92 TOTAL

MISCELLANEOUS SALES

Cable TV

Hotels purchasing cable TV subscriptions should pay sales tax on the subscription price as the final consumer of the service. However, a hotel that separately bills its customers for premium cable channels, special events and video games may purchase these services exempt from sales tax with a Resale Exemption Certificate, herein. The hotel will collect sales tax from its customers on the separately stated charge for the premium service, special events and/or video games at the rate in effect at the hotel. [K.A.R. 92-19-24(d)]

Vending Machines

Kansas sales tax applies to retail sales made through coinoperated devices dispensing or providing tangible personal property (goods), amusement or services (except laundry services – see page 5). Thus, hotels and restaurants that own their own vending machines must collect sales tax on all these sales.

EXAMPLE: A hotel owns several coin-operated devices. Some dispense goods (e.g., soda, candy, laundry soap) and others provide amusement (e.g., video games). Sales tax is due on the gross receipts received from all these machines at the rate in effect at the hotel.

Sales tax is included in the selling price of an item or amusement sold through a coin operated device. To determine the gross receipts without the sales tax (sales tax base), divide the total amount collected by 1 plus the tax rate in effect where the device is located.

EXAMPLE: A Someplace, KS hotel owns a vending machine that dispenses soda cans for 75 cents each. One month’s collections from the machine is $281.25 (which includes the sales tax). Use the tax rate in Someplace (.0745) where the machine is located to determine the sales tax base: $281.25/1.0745 = $261.75. Sales tax of $19.50 is due ($261.75 X .0745 = $19.50).

Many hotels and restaurants do not own the coin-operated machines located within their facilities. In such cases, the owner of the machines is responsible for remitting the sales tax. Any fee or commission that a hotel or restaurant receives from the owner of coin-operated devices for allowing the owner to place the machine in its facility is not subject to sales tax.

Honor Pantries and Mini Bars

Sales made to guests of food, drinks, toiletries or other items of tangible personal property in a sleeping room minibar or pantry operated on the honor system are subject to sales tax. For convenience, the sales tax is usually included in the prices posted at the pantry or minibar, and would be recorded in your sales tax records like the vending machine sales in the previous example. Sales tax is not due on pantry items (or any other item held for sale) that a guest does not pay for – it is only imposed on retail sales. Hotels are not responsible for remitting sales tax on items that they hold for sale but that are stolen from them.

Other Fees and Charges

The rental or lease of tangible personal property is subject to sales tax. If you rent equipment to guests or charge a fee for the use of equipment, you must collect sales tax on the gross receipts received at the rate where the customer takes delivery of the property. A hotel could purchase items to be rented to guests exempt for resale.

EXAMPLE: A Kansas hotel charges $5 per day for the use of an projector, laptop computer, printer, etc. The $5 fee is subject to sales tax unless the hotel receives a completed exemption certificate from an exempt customer (see page 24).

Health club fees are subject to sales tax. Sales tax is imposed on any fee charged that entitles the purchaser to the use of a facility for recreation or entertainment. Thus, when a hotel charges a fee for the use of its athletic club, pool, spa, sauna, etc., the fee is subject to sales tax at the rate where the facility is located.

Telephone charges that include any additional fee for local calls (such as 50 cents per local call) or long distance phone charge included and billed to the customer’s room – sales tax is due on any hotel markup at the rate in effect at the hotel.

Other fees on which you must collect sales tax include: lock-out fee, lost key fee, and photocopy fees.

The following fees are not subject to sales tax because they do not involve the sale, application, installation, etc. of tangible personal property (see Labor Services herein).

  • (physical) body – and not tangible personal property –such as haircuts, manicures, massages, shampoos, perms, styling and sculptured nails.
    • Safe or security box fees.
    • Shuttle or transportation fees.
    • Return check fees.
    • Parking fees.
    • Fees to fax documents.
    • Internet and computer fees. Each sleeping room has a computer jack. The hotel charges its guest a fee for its use – the fee is not subject to sales tax. Any fee the hotel charges its guest for Internet access is also not subject to sales tax.

    PURCHASES MADE BY HOTELS

    TAXABLE PURCHASES

    Hotels are required to pay sales (or compensating use) tax on every purchase of tangible personal property and/or taxable services, unless the purchase is specifically exempted from sales tax by law. Items and enumerated services purchased in Kansas are subject to retailers’ sales tax. Items purchased from vendors located outside of Kansas are subject to a Kansas use tax. (See Kansas Compensating Use Tax herein.)

    EXAMPLE: A Salina motel operator buys five television sets from a Kansas appliance store for installation in her motel. The motel operator must pay Kansas sales tax on the TVs and any installation charge.

    A hotel must pay sales (or use) tax on its equipment fixtures and supplies. Examples of items a hotel would typically purchase that are subject to sales tax because the hotel is the final consumer include: air-conditioners, appliances, art work, ashtrays, bathtubs, beds, bedding, bed skirts, blankets, building materials, booster-chairs, carpet, chairs, cleaning supplies, clocks, coffee makers, comforters, computer equipment and software, cookware, contractor’s labor, copiers, countertops, curtains, deep fryers, desks, dishes, dishwashers, drapes, drawers, dressers, equipment, exercise equipment, door knob hangers, floor cleaners, floor wax, flowers, freezers, furniture, furnaces, glassware, guest receipts, grills, hair-dyers, highchairs, hot water heaters, ice machines, ice trays and tubs, keys, lamps, laundry soap, linens, locks, luggage racks and carts, magazine subscriptions, mattresses, mattress covers, menus, microwaves, mirrors, newspaper subscriptions, office furniture and supplies, ovens, paint, pillows, pillow covers, plants, pool tables, radios, ranges, refrigerators, registration cards, silverware, showers, shower curtains, sheets, signs, sinks, solvents, stoves, swimming pool chemicals, tables, telephones, televisions, toasters, toilets, towels, uniforms for employees, vacuum cleaners, vacuum cleaner bags, VCRs, wash cloths, water fountains, water heaters and wastebaskets.

    Utilities such as water, gas, electricity and fuel, are subject to the state and local sales tax rate in effect at the customer’s location. These utilities, as well as phone service, cable TV, etc., which are for a hotel’s own use are subject to the state and local sales tax. This would include water, gas, electricity and fuel used in the hotel’s common areas, offices, meeting rooms, banquet rooms, swimming pools, etc. Exceptions to this general rule are discussed under Exempt Purchases – Consumed In Production herein.

    Telephone Service

    Kansas sales tax is charged on all in-state calls, no matter where the customer is billed, and on interstate calls that either originate or terminate in Kansas and are billed to a Kansas customer. Therefore, hotels must pay sales tax on all of its phone services, including phone service used in the rooms it rents out for sleeping accommodations. Other telephone services that are taxed include telephone answering services, mobile phone, beeper, cellular phone and other similar services. See Revenue Ruling 19-2010-04 herein.

    Charges to guests by hotels for telephone access (local telephone calls) are taxable. For example, if a hotel charges 50 cents per local call, it is an access charge and is taxable – the phone company doesn't charge that amount for local calls, but the hotel charges the 50 cent fee to guests for accessing telephone service. When a hotel is charged for a guest's long distance call, the charge billed to the guest to reimburse the hotel for the cost of the call is not taxable if the charge equals the amount that the provider billed to the hotel for the call. This charge includes the sales tax that the provider billed to the hotel on the charge for the call. Any mark-up that is added to a guest's charge for a long distance call is taxable as an access charge.

    The services of an Internet provider are not subject to sales tax.

    LABOR SERVICES

    Generally, the labor services fee charged by contractors, subcontractors and repairmen is subject to sales tax. Specifically, the labor services of installing or applying tangible personal property and labor services of repairing, altering, maintaining or servicing tangible personal property – whether or not said tangible personal property is attached to or becomes part of real estate – are taxable.

    EXAMPLE: A Hamlin, KS motel operator calls a heating company to repair a furnace in one of its sleeping rooms and a furnace which heats its offices. Since both labor fees charged for performing the repair work are subject to sales tax, the Hamlin motel must pay sales tax to the heating company for all repair work performed.

    NOTE: Contractors are required to charge the rate of sales tax in effect where the work is performed.

    EXAMPLE: An Iola, KS contractor performs a commercial remodel job in Topeka. The total cost of the materials that he supplies and the labor is $15,000 ($9,000 materials and $6,000 labor). The contractor will charge the Topeka sales tax rate on the labor portion ($6,000) of the job.

    Other examples of taxable labor services purchased by the lodging industry include: building maintenance; carpet installation; elevator maintenance, repair or service; landscape maintenance; remodel of guest rooms or facility; painting; parking lot maintenance; pest control and extermination services; TV and appliance repair; vehicle maintenance and repair, and wallpapering.

    Exception for Original Construction

    An exception to the general rule is that sales tax is not due when labor services of installing or applying tangible personal property are performed in connection with the original construction* of the hotel or restaurant. Original construction may be the first or initial construction of a building or the addition of a new wing or floor to an existing hotel, and includes land improvements immediately surrounding the new hotel or wing.

    * Included in the definition of original construction is any reconstruction work to repair damage to an existing building, facility or utility structure damaged or destroyed by fire, flood, tornado, lightning, explosion, windstorm (80 mph or more), ice loading and attendant winds, terrorism, or earthquake.

    EXAMPLE: ABC Hospitality, Inc. is building a new hotel in Linn. Since this is the first or initial construction of a building, no sales tax is due on the contractors’ labor fees for constructing the hotel. Also not taxable is the labor to construct land improvements immediately surrounding the building (i.e., parking lots, exterior lighting, and landscaping.

    EXAMPLE: The ABC Hospitality, Inc. facility in Hays is damaged by a tornado. The contractor’s labor services to repair it is not taxable.

    CAUTION: Labor service fees for any reconstruction work other than fire, flood, tornado, lightening, explosion, windstorm (80 mph or more), ice loading and attendant winds, terrorism or earthquake is taxable.

    EXAMPLE: The outdoor sign for the Newbuilt Hotel was hit by a car. The labor to repair or replace the hotel’s sign is taxable.

    In all the situations above, the materials used in the project are subject to sales tax, whether purchased by the hotel owner or by contractors working on the project. Contractors are still required to pay sales tax on their materials unless the project qualifies for a project exemption as economic development (see Pub. KS-1520). See our Policy Information Library for more information on construction labor and its tax treatment.

    Other services often purchased by hotel operators are not subject to sales tax because they do not involve the installation or application of tangible personal property. Examples include: accounting, general cleaning, air duct cleaning, lawn mowing and edging, drain cleaning, security, excavating, and snow removal.

    Some services have both taxable and nontaxable components. Your service provider should separate the taxable and nontaxable services on your invoice.

    Landscaping services (i.e., mowing, edging and aeration) are not taxable. Planting trees, shrubs, flowers, or applying fertilizer or weed killer are taxable services. Janitorial services (i.e., carpet cleaning, dusting and vacuuming) are not taxable; applying fabric treatments or protective coating to furniture or carpets is taxable.

    EXEMPT PURCHASES

    Kansas sales tax is paid only once – by the final user or consumer of the taxable goods or services. Therefore, all Kansas retailers are entitled to purchase without tax those items that make up all or part of the taxable goods or services sold or provided. These are the sales tax exemptions for: 1) resale; 2) ingredient or component parts; and, 3) consumed in production.

    To claim an exemption, the buyer completes and furnishes the seller with an exemption certificate. If you make recurring exempt purchases of the same type from the same vendor, you may use one completed certificate to cover future transactions (see Blanket Exemption Certificates herein). Also see Pub. KS-1520 for more information.

    What follows is an explanation of each type of sales tax exemption, illustrated by examples from the lodging industry. See also page 13.

    Exempt Purchases – Resale

    The most widely used sales tax exemption is for items that will be resold. Hotels that operate gift shops and sell other items at retail to their guests (such as beverages or snacks) will purchase their inventory without tax using the Resale Exemption Certificate (ST-28A). Complete and provide this certificate to each of your suppliers or vendors.

    EXAMPLE: Your bed and breakfast has coffee mugs and T-shirts available for sale to guests and the public as mementos of their visit. When buying your inventory you will give your supplier a completed resale exemption certificate.

    Items that are not sold to the final consumer, but that are used exclusively for rental to hotel guests may also be purchased without tax.

    EXAMPLE: Your hotel rents microphones and sound equipment. Since the rental of this equipment is subject to sales tax, you may purchase the equipment without tax using a resale exemption certificate and charge sales tax each time it is rented. (Other items that might be rented by hotels include tables, table skirts and chairs.)

    CAUTION: You cannot purchase items exempt from tax that will not be sold, leased or rented in the normal course of the hotel operations.

    EXAMPLE: Instead of an additional separately stated microphone rental charge, you allow customers use of the hotel’s microphone and sound equipment when they rent the ballroom. Your hotel is not renting the equipment, but is the final consumer. You will, therefore, pay sales tax when buying the microphone and sound equipment.

    Personal Use of Tax-Exempt Inventory

    When you remove an item from your inventory of goods purchased without tax for use by the hotel itself, or to be given away, you have become the final user or consumer and must pay the sales tax on its cost.

    EXAMPLE: You honor the employee of the month with a figurine from your gift shop’s inventory. The figurine retails for $50 but your cost is $30. Since you are the final consumer of the item (it is a gift to the employee), you will pay (self-accrue) sales tax on your cost of $30.

    NOTE: To report and pay the tax on tax-exempt inventory used for a taxable purpose, use the line or column entitled Merchandise Consumed when filing your return.

    Exempt Purchases - Ingredient/Component Part

    Another exemption is applicable to hotels is the Ingredient or component part exemption found in K.S.A. 79-3606(m). This exemption allows items of tangible personal property to be purchased without sales tax because they become an ingredient or component part of a taxable product or service. In the hotel industry, items that are used in a hotel room by guests which are disposable in nature are considered to be an integral part of the taxable service of providing sleeping rooms by hotels, and as such, are exempt from sales tax.

    Disposable items that a hotel may purchase without sales tax when they are provided free of charge to guests in sleeping rooms include: candy; facial tissue; in-room coffee; laundry bags for guests; lotions; map of hotel property; matches; paper cups, napkins or plates; pens and pencils; plastic cups, forks, knives, spoons; room deodorants; shampoo; shoe shine cloths; soap; shower caps; stationery; toilet tissue, seat bands; and wastepaper liners.

    Food Items

    Hotels may also purchase food items exempt from sales tax when the food provided to guests is complimentary to the charge for the sleeping room.

    EXAMPLE: ABC hotel offers a complimentary breakfast to all guests renting a sleeping room. ABC may purchase all food items used in preparation for the breakfast or served to its guests without sales tax.

    To claim this exemption for such items, provide your vendors with a completed ST-28D Ingredient or Component Part Exemption Certificate – a copy of which is herein.

    Exempt Purchases - Consumed in Production

    The third sales tax exemption that is applicable to hotels is the consumed in production exemption found at K.S.A. 79-3606(n). This exemption allows retailers to purchase without tax those items of tangible personal property that are consumed or dissipated during the course of producing or providing a taxable product or service. Included in the definition of tangible personal property for sales tax purposes are the utilities of electricity, gas, water and heat.

    This exemption allows hotels to purchase without sales tax the electricity, gas, water or heat that is actually used in their taxable sales of sleeping room rentals, laundry services–see page 5, and Amusement Utilities that follows.

    Sleeping Room Utilities

    Like the exemption for disposable items in guest sleeping rooms, the consumed in production exemption is available only for the electricity, gas, water or heat actually used in sleeping rooms rented by guests. As discussed earlier, a hotel is required to collect sales tax on the rental of its sleeping rooms.

    The rental of banquet, convention and meeting rooms is not subject to sales tax, and therefore, the utilities used in these rooms are subject to sales tax. Moreover, hotels must pay sales tax on utilities used in hallways, offices, swimming pools, exercise rooms, saunas, parking lots, common areas, and other areas that are not rented as guest sleeping rooms. Only that portion of a hotel’s total purchase of electricity, gas, water and heat that is actually used in guest sleeping rooms is exempt from sales tax.

    EXAMPLE: 50% of a Wichita hotel’s purchase of electricity is actually used for lighting, heating and cooling of its sleeping rooms. The remainder is used for lighting, cooling, and heating common areas, parking lots, swimming pool, etc. The hotel will receive a state and local sales tax exemption on 50% of its electrical purchases when it files a completed utility exemption with its utility provider.

    EXAMPLE: Electricity used to power a refrigerator in a sleeping room is exempt from sales tax. Electricity used to power an ice machine located in a hallway (hotel’s common area) is subject to sales tax.

    Laundry Utilities

    Electricity, gas or water that a hotel purchases for use in its in-house laundry facility is subject to sales tax. This rule is based on the typical situation where the hotel is using its laundry facility exclusively for its own needs.

    When a hotel does laundry for its guests, the hotel must charge sales tax; and when applicable the Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge on the fee it charges for this service (see page 5). In this case, the hotel may purchase the electricity, gas and/or water actually used to provide this taxable service of laundering articles for others exempt from sales tax as consumed in production.

    EXAMPLE: XYZ Hotel purchases water and electricity for use in its laundry. 80% of the water and electricity is used for washing the hotel’s own linen. 20% is used to wash its customers’ laundry upon which is charged a fee and sales tax. XYZ is eligible to claim an exemption on 20% of its utilities as consumed in production.

    Amusement Utilities

    Electricity used to power vending machines that dispense candy, sodas, water, snacks, grooming items, etc. is subject to sales tax and does not qualify for the consumed in production exemption. The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that electricity used to refrigerate items (i.e., sodas, water, juice) does not qualify for the consumed in production exemption. Likewise, electricity used to illuminate, power or dispense items of tangible personal property is also taxable. However, electricity consumed in producing a product or providing a taxable amusement (i.e., coin-operated video machine) is exempt as consumed in production.

    EXAMPLE: A hotel has an amusement room which contains coin-operated video games and pinball machines (taxable amusements) and vending machines for sodas and snacks. The hotel may claim a consumed in production exemption on the electricity used for the video games and pinball machines, but may not claim the exemption on the electricity used by the soda and snack machines.

    HOW TO CLAIM A ULTILITY EXEMPTION

    To claim an exemption on its utility use, a hotel must measure the amount of each utility that qualifies for the exemption and express this as a percentage of its total utility purchase through that meter. Follow the guidelines in the instructions for Form ST-28B (herein).

    Once you calculate the percentage of exempt use, complete Form ST-28B and submit it to your utility provider, along with your workpapers and calculations used to validate the exempt percentage. The utility provider may forward an exemption request to the Department of Revenue for review before granting the exemption. Following is a list of documentation required with a Form ST-28B for a hotel or motel.

    • Formulas and computations must be complete and a copy of your worksheet (utility study), including the prior years’ occupancy rate, must accompany your request. Your worksheet must list all taxable and non-taxable equipment that pulls energy from the meter for which you are seeking the exemption.
    • Form ST-33 must be completed by the utility provider where the exemption is claimed.
    • If the meter for the exemption you are requesting is used for other than your exemption request, you must also provide all the other uses for that meter.
    • Include your federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) on your request.

    Keep a copy of all worksheets and calculations used to determine the percentage of exempt utility usage. The Department of Revenue may ask to see the worksheets when auditing the utility exemption or approving a request. It is your responsibility to notify your utility provider whenever there is a change in your exempt percentage.

    Obtaining a Refund of Sales Tax

    If you discover you paid tax on an item or service that qualifies for an exemption, you may request a refund of the tax paid. You should first request a refund or credit from your vendor, providing a completed exemption certificate to substantiate your exemption. You may claim a refund for all exempt purchases made within the last three years, or to when the exemption was granted, whichever is later.

    If your vendor refuses to refund the tax or is no longer in business, you may apply for the refund directly from the Department of Revenue. Complete Form ST-21 (available on our website) and include the required documentation.

    TRANSIENT GUEST TAX

    Kansas law allows counties to impose a transient guest tax. The also allows cities to impose this tax if they are located within a county which has not already imposed such tax. This rule of law generally prohibits a county and a city within that county from both imposing a transient guest tax. See our web site for a complete list of the Kansas cities and counties imposing this tax and the rates thereof.

    Although the transient guest tax is a local tax, it is by law administered by the Department of Revenue and, like sales tax, is collected by hotels from their customers and remitted to the Department. 98% of the transient guest tax is returned to the cities and counties for use in promoting tourism. The remaining 2% is kept by the Department of Revenue (KDOR) to defray KDOR's expenses in administering the tax.

    "HOTEL" DEFINED FOR TRANSIENT GUEST TAX

    For transient guest tax purposes, a hotel (other than a hotel located within a Redevelopment District) is defined as an establishment having more than two bedrooms. Thus, a hotel, motel, tourist court or any other establishment renting out a minimum of three sleeping rooms within a city or county that has imposed a transient guest tax must collect and remit this tax on its room rentals.

    Accommodation brokers (defined on page 3) must also collect any applicable transient guest tax on their sleeping room rentals, even though they may only have two or more rooms. [K.S.A. 12-1692(f)]

    If you are located in an area that has levied a transient guest tax, you must collect it when the number of sleeping rooms available for guests is at least:

    3 – local transient guest tax for hotels
    2 – local transient guest tax for accommodation brokers
    9 – state transient guest tax in a redevelopment district

    EXAMPLE: A bed and breakfast in Topeka, KS has a total of three sleeping rooms that it rents out to guests. It is required to collect, report and remit transient guest tax, but not retailers’ sales tax, on its room rentals (four or more rooms required for sales tax).

    TRANSIENT GUEST TAX IMPOSED ON...

    Transient guest tax is imposed on the gross receipts received for sleeping accommodations. The amount of money received for sleeping accommodations subject to this tax is the same amount subject to Kansas retailers’ sales tax, including no show revenue and other taxable room fees discussed on page 4. Like sales tax, transient guest tax does not apply to the rental of non-sleeping rooms (i.e., ballrooms, banquet, meeting, reception rooms or office space). See Revenue Ruling 19-2010-04, herein.

    EXAMPLE: A motel rents its sleeping rooms for $67 per night – single occupancy. The retailers sales tax rate is 6.5% and the transient guest tax rate is 4%. The retailer sales tax due is $4.36 ($67 X .065= $4.36), and the transient guest tax due is $2.68 ($67 X .04 = $2.68).

    NOTE: The transient guest and sales tax should be separately stated on the bill (see example on page 6). If the transient guest tax is not a separate line item, it is subject to sales tax because it becomes part of the sales tax base for calculation of sales tax on the room rental.

    A transient guest is a person who occupies a room in a hotel, motel, or tourist court for not more than 28 consecutive days. Therefore, unlike sales tax, transient guest tax is not collected on the rental of sleeping rooms for more than 28 consecutive days to the same person or entity. So, a guest who occupies a room for 29 or more consecutive days is no longer a transient guest.

    EXAMPLE: A hotel rents two of its sleeping rooms to American Life Inc. employees on a continuous basis (over 28 consecutive days). While sales tax is due on the gross receipts received, no transient guest tax is due.

    The tax exempt entities listed on page 4 may purchase (rent) a sleeping room exempt from Kansas sales tax. However, for transient guest tax purposes, only the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities is exempt from paying transient guest tax — provided that it is a direct purchase. This exemption is by operation of federal law.

    EXAMPLE: The state of Kansas purchases hotel sleeping rooms in Hutchinson for Highway Patrol troopers during the week of the state fair. Although the room rentals are exempt from sales tax as a direct purchase by a state agency, the room rentals are subject to transient guest tax.

    In summary, there are only two exemptions to charging transient guest tax: 1) the sleeping room(s) are rented as a direct purchase by the federal government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or 2) the room(s) are rented to the same guest for more than 28 consecutive days.

    On all other sales (rental) of sleeping rooms by a hotel located in a city or county that has imposed a transient guest tax, the transient guest tax must be collected and remitted to the Department of Revenue.

    EXAMPLE: You rent a room to a guest for $50 per night, billed on a weekly basis of $350, plus 6.5% sales tax and 6% transient guest tax. On the 29th rental day (beginning of the 5th week), you will credit the guest’s account for the previously paid transient guest tax of 6%.

    TRANSIENT GUEST TAX – REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

    Current law also allows for a state-imposed transient guest tax for hotels located in a special, statutory-designated redevelopment district. The definition of hotel within a redevelopment district for purposes of this special state guest tax is any establishment that has more than eight bedrooms (nine or more sleeping rooms). The state transient guest tax rate in an area designated as a redevelopment district is 5% of the gross receipts derived from or paid by transient guests for sleeping accommodations.

    When this guide was published, no redevelopment districts had been established. When a redevelopment district is established, hotels located within that district will be notified by the Department of Revenue of the tax and the steps to take to register to collect, report and remit this special state-imposed transient guest tax.

    RESTAURANT SALES

    The basic sales tax information discussed in the hotel section (starting on page 3 on this publication) is also applicable to restaurants. The following material explains how sales tax applies to those situations and transactions that are unique to your restaurant operations.

    MEALS AND NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS

    Kansas sales tax is imposed on the retail sale of meals and nonalcoholic drinks furnished at any private club, drinking establishment, catered event, restaurant, eating house, dining car, hotel, drugstore or other place where meals or nonalcoholic drinks are regularly sold to the public. The rate charged is the rate where the customer takes delivery/ possession of the meal, drinks, etc.

    EXAMPLE: An Alma, KS restaurant sells a buffet meal for $7.99 with a separate drink charge of $0.99. Sales tax is due on $8.98 for 1 meal and 1 drink using the Alma rate.

    When meals and drinks are catered at another location, a restaurant will charge the state and local rate in effect at the location of the catered event.

    EXAMPLE: A Hays, KS restaurant is catering a wedding in Ellis, KS. The restaurant must charge the state and local sales tax rate for the city of Ellis on its catering fee, rather than the sales tax rate in Hays.

    Sales Tax on Tips

    Sales tax is due on the gross receipts received by the restaurant on the sale of meals and nonalcoholic drinks, including mandatory gratuities (tips). A tip that is at the discretion of the patron is not subject to sales tax.

    EXAMPLE: A restaurant adds an 18% gratuity to customers’ bills for groups of eight or more. The bill for a party of ten came to $200 plus the 18% for a total of $236. Sales tax is due on the $236 ($236 X .065 = $15.34 sales tax).

    Employee Meals

    Free meals furnished to employees of public eating places are not taxed if the employee’s work is related to the furnishing or sale of such meals. This is a specific exception or exemption found in K.S.A. 79-3606(j).

    Free meals furnished to employees not employed by the restaurant, or given away to customers, are subject to tax based upon your cost of the meal. Reduced cost employee meals are subject to tax based on the reduced price.

    EXAMPLE: You allow your employees to eat one meal free when they work more than four consecutive hours at your restaurant. These meals are not subject to sales tax, even though the food used to prepare them was purchased without sales tax.

    EXAMPLE: As a sales promotion, you give away four free meals each week to the winner of a business card drawing. These meals are subject to sales tax based upon your cost for each meal of $3.50, not the meal’s retail price of $8 at the rate in effect at your restaurant.

    EXAMPLE: You operate a hotel and a restaurant and allow all employees to eat one meal free each day they are working. Only the restaurant employees’ meals are not subject to tax. The meals of hotel staff (housekeeping, maintenance, front desk, etc.) are subject to sales tax based upon your cost ($3) of each meal at the rate in effect at your restaurant.

    NOTE: Report the cost of free meals in the merchandise consumed column of your sales tax filing (see page 18).

    EXAMPLE: A customer at your restaurant is not happy with his meal for which the menu price is $16.99. To satisfy him, you reduce the price to $10 and provide a free dessert. The menu price of the dessert is $3.50, but your cost is $1.25. The customer will pay sales tax on the $10; the restaurant will pay (accrue) sales tax on its cost for the dessert of $1.25.

    Keep in mind that no sales tax is due on the cost of food that does not later become part of a meal sold due to spoilage, waste, trimmings, etc. Although purchased without tax, the food is not later used for a taxable purpose (i.e., sold or given away as a meal) and, therefore, is not subject to sales tax.

    Exempt Sales of Meals, Nonalcoholic Drinks and Miscellaneous Items

    The entities listed on page 4 may purchase meals and nonalcoholic drinks sold by restaurants without tax. Restaurants making tax-exempt sales to these exempt customers must obtain the appropriately completed sales tax exemption certificate from the entity to verify the exemption in their sales tax records.

    SALE OF ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

    DRINKSThe gross receipts received from the sale of alcoholic drinks (liquor, wine, beer and/or hard cider) is subject to a 10% liquor drink tax instead of sales tax. (Sales tax is collected on drinks that do not contain alcohol.)

    Alcoholic drink sales is one example of an item commonly sold with the applicable tax included in the advertised price, rather than the tax added to the price as a separate line item. (Vending machine sales discussed on page 6 is another example.) To determine the tax base or gross receipts on your alcoholic drink sales without the tax, divide the total alcohol sales by 1.1 (1 plus the 10% tax rate).

    Note: The tax may be included in the stated drink price only if a sign is conspicuously posted, stating the prices include the liquor drink tax. [K.A.R. 92-24-13]

    EXAMPLE: A Baxter Springs, KS restaurant sells mixed drinks for $3 and beer for $2, taxes included. Liquor drink tax is due on the selling price of the drink of $2.73 ($3/1.1) and the beer of $1.82 ($2/1.1). The liquor drink tax is $.27 and $.18 respectively.

    Exemption from Liquor Drink Tax

    The entities listed on page 4 are exempt from paying sales tax on their direct purchases of meals and nonalcoholic beverages; but are not exempt from paying liquor drink tax on purchases of alcoholic drinks (also not exempt from paying transient guest tax on room rentals).

    Liquor License

    Before a Kansas restaurant or club may sell alcoholic beverages it must first hold a valid liquor license issued by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). For information about licensing and other rules and regulations surrounding the sale of alcoholic beverages, contact ABC at 785-296-7015.

    Liquor Enforcement Tax

    Liquor sales are subject to two taxes. Restaurants and clubs selling alcoholic beverages must pay a liquor enforcement tax of 8% on their purchases of alcohol from the liquor store or distributor. This tax is in addition to the 10% liquor drink tax that restaurants and clubs are required to collect on their retail sales of alcoholic beverages. Liquor stores and farm wineries also collect the 8% liquor enforcement tax on liquor sales made to individual customers. For questions regarding liquor drink or liquor enforcement taxes, contact the Department of Revenue’s Miscellaneous Tax Section at 785-368-8222.

    Cereal Malt Beverage (CMB) License

    Retailers selling cereal malt beverage (beer with an alcohol content of 3.2% or less by weight) must first secure a license for each place of business. The application for said license may be obtained from the city or county offices in which the business is located. Sales of 3.2% beer and other beverages by retailers holding a CMB license are subject only to the applicable state and local sales tax for their location.

    The 10% Liquor Drink Tax is NOT due on 3.2% beer sold by those holding only a CMB license. However, those who hold an alcoholic liquor license must collect and remit the 10% Liquor Drink Tax on their sales of 3.2% beer and do not collect sales tax.

    If selling other goods and services other than alcoholic and ceral malt beverages, the business must register for and collect Retailers’ Sales Tax.

    Effective April 1, 2019 CMB permit holders will be allowed to sell beer not more than 6% alcohol by volume in addition to CMB. These CMB permit holders will collect the applicable state and local sales tax on the sale of both CMB and beer. Retail liquor stores that sell beer will continue to collect the 8% liquor enforcement tax on those sales of beer. Other goods or services sold by a retail liquor store on their licensed premises (excluding the sale of lottery tickets) will be subject to state and local sales tax which includes the sale of cereal malt beverage. For additional information see Notice 18-04.

    RESTAURANT PURCHASES

    TAXABLE PURCHASES

    Restaurants are deemed to be the final consumer of items and taxable services used in conducting the restaurant’s business that are not for resale or exempt for another reason (see page 13). A restaurant or club must pay sales tax on purchases of taxable services, and sales or use tax when buying tangible personal property (i.e., equipment, fixtures and supplies).

    EXAMPLE: A Salina restaurant owner buys 5 booths from a Wichita supplier for her restaurant. As the final consumer of the booths, the restaurant owner must pay the sales tax on the total cost to the Wichita supplier. The rate of tax charged will be the rate where Salina restaurant takes delivery of the booths.

    Equipment, fixtures and supplies typically purchased by a restaurant or club that are subject to sales tax include: Air-conditioners, appliances, ashtrays, building materials, carpet, cash registers, chairs, clocks, cloth napkins, coffee makers, computers, cookware, countertops, curtains, desks, dishes, dishwashers, DVDs, furniture, furnaces, glassware, keys, kitchen equipment, lamps, locks, menus, microwaves, mirrors, mixers, napkin dispensers, office equipment, office supplies, ovens, paint, signs, silverware, sinks, stoves, tables, televisions, and water-heaters.

    LABOR SERVICES

    Following are representative examples for restaurants of the sales tax treatment of their purchases of taxable labor services as discussed on page 7.

    Repair of property

    EXAMPLE: A Pittsburg, Kansas restaurant operator calls an appliance repair company to repair a stove. Since the labor fee charged for performing the repair work is subject to sales tax (at the rate in effect where the customer takes delivery or first uses the repair service), the Pittsburg restaurant operator must pay sales tax on the total charge for parts and labor for the repair work.

    Original Construction

    EXAMPLE: A restaurant contracts to have an additional seating area constructed. Since this project is the addition of an entire room or floor to an existing building, no sales tax is due on the contractors’ labor fees for constructing the new seating area.

    EXAMPLE: A restaurant’s kitchen is damaged by fire. Although commercial remodel labor is normally taxable, this labor is exempt since the repair is because of a fire.

    EXEMPT PURCHASES

    The three hotel exemptions discussed on pages 8 and 9 (resale, ingredient/component part, and consumed in production) apply in many ways to restaurant operations.

    Purchases for Resale

    The most common exemption that a restaurant will claim is its purchase for resale of the food items served to customers. The restaurant will collect sales tax from its customers when the food is resold as a prepared meal. Restaurants would provide their food suppliers with a completed ST-28A Kansas Resale Exemption Certificate.

    EXAMPLE: Your restaurant buys most of the food items served from a wholesale grocer. You should provide your food vendor with a completed Resale Exemption Certificate and collect sales tax on the gross receipts received from the sale of the prepared meal.

    Every food item that will be sold to a restaurant’s customer as part of their meal or drink may be purchased tax exempt with a Kansas Resale Exemption Certificate. This includes not only the ingredients of the meal, but also any condiments (i.e., herbs, salt, pepper, catsup, mustard, relish, etc.).

    Exempt Purchases – Ingredient/Component Part

    This exemption allows items to be purchased without sales tax when the items are disposable in nature and are provided to the restaurant’s customers when they purchase a meal or drink. When so used, these items are an ingredient or component part of the meal and as such, are exempt from sales tax. Disposable items that a restaurant typically purchases that are provided to their customers may include: plastic dinnerware (plates, cups, utensils); drinking straws, paper napkins, paper bags, and takeout boxes. To buy these items without tax, the restaurant must provide its vendor(s) with a completed Ingredient or Component Part Exemption Certificate (ST-28D); a copy of which is in this publication.

    CAUTION: To qualify for the exemption, the item must be disposable, and not returned or reused by the restaurant. Restaurants may purchase plastic silverware and paper napkins without tax, but restaurants buying china, silverware and cloth table linens that will be laundered and reused are buying a business asset and as the final consumer must pay the sales or use tax on them.

    Water (a utility) may also be exempt as an ingredient/ component part.

    EXAMPLE: 5% of the water purchased by an Emporia restaurant actually becomes an ingredient or component part of beverages and meals served (soups, stews, etc.). This water usage is exempt. The remainder (95%) of its water usage is taxable — water used to wash dishes, in the rest rooms and for general cleaning.

    Utility (water, electricity, gas or heat) exemptions are claimed by providing a completed Form ST-28B instead of an Ingredient or Component Part Exemption Certificate (see How to Claim A Utility Exemption herein).

    Exempt Purchases – Consumed in Production

    This exemption, explained on page 12, allows restaurants to purchase electricity, gas and water used in food preparation exempt from sales tax. This exemption does not apply to utilities used to light, heat or cool the establishment; to keep the food hot or cold (refrigerators, steam tables, heat lamps, and salad bars); in restrooms; or for cleaning and washing.

    EXAMPLE: 20% of electricity in a Kansas restaurant is actually used for meal preparation, supplying power to electric stoves, ovens, microwaves, mixers, etc. This usage is exempt from state and local sales tax because the electricity is consumed in producing the taxable product (the meal). The remainder of its electricity use, 80%, is for the refrigerators, salad bar, and to light, cool, and heat the entire facility. This usage is subject to the state and local sales tax in effect at the restaurant’s location.

    EXAMPLE: 30% of a Kansas restaurant’s purchase of gas is actually used to power its gas ovens and stoves. This gas usage is exempt because it is used directly in meal preparation. However, the remaining 70%, is used by the water heater and is subject to state and local sales tax.

    In order for the restaurant in the preceding examples to claim the appropriate exemptions for its exempt uses of water, electricity and gas, it must file a utility exemption request with each of its utility providers (see page 9).

    OTHER TAXES FOR HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS

    KANSAS COMPENSATING USE TAXES

    Compensating Use Tax is a tax paid on goods and merchandise purchased from other states and used, stored, or consumed in Kansas on which no sales tax was paid. It is also due if the state and local sales tax paid at the time of purchase is less than the Kansas rate. This "use" tax compensates for the lack of sales tax paid at the time of purchase and protects Kansas businesses from unfair competition from out-of-state retailers who sell goods tax-free. There are two types of compensating use tax:

    Consumers’ Use Tax — paid by Kansas consumers direct to the Kansas Department of Revenue.

    Retailers’ Use Tax — collected by retailers in other states from their Kansas customers.

    Use tax is due on out-of-state purchases whether the property is shipped into Kansas or picked up in another state and brought back to Kansas. It applies only to tangible personal property — labor services are not subject to use tax. Like sales tax, compensating use tax is based on the total cost of the goods purchased, including postage, shipping, handling, or transportation charges.

    Like instate sales tax transactions, the use tax rate imposed is the same rate as the sales tax rate in effect where the customer takes delivery or possession, according to the same “sourcing” rules discussed herein. The net effect is that for both sales and compensating use tax - the same rate of tax applies to a taxable item purchased by a Kansas consumer, whether purchased locally, delivered to the Kansas consumer by a Kansas retailer, or shipped by an out-of-state retailer.

    For more information about Kansas use taxes, consult Pub. KS-1510, Kansas Sales Tax and Compensating Use Tax.

    Consumers’ Use Tax

    When a Kansas hotel or restaurant buys goods from a retailer in another state for use, storage, or consumption (and not for resale) in Kansas, on which sales tax equal to the Kansas state and local rate in effect where the Kansas hotel or restaurant takes delivery has not been paid, a Kansas use tax is due. Many Kansas hotels and restaurants are not aware of any this use tax obligation until they are audited by the Department of Revenue — a costly oversight. Hotels and restaurants owe use tax on the same items that they are required to pay sales tax on (equipment, fixtures and supplies) had they purchased the items in Kansas.

    When buying an item from outside Kansas, a Kansas hotel or restaurant owes Kansas use tax on the total cost of the purchase (including shipping and handling charges) if the seller does not collect a sales tax equal to the Kansas state and local rate in effect where the Kansas hotel or restaurant takes delivery. If the state and local sales tax paid on the outof- state purchase is less than the Kansas tax rate in effect where the Kansas resident takes delivery, the difference between the two rates is owed to Kansas.

    EXAMPLE: A Whereas, KS restaurant buying china from a Kansas retailer must pay Kansas sales tax on this purchase of restaurant equipment. Therefore, when the Whereas restaurant orders the china from a vendor in Pennsylvania to be shipped via UPS to Whereas, the purchase is subject to a Kansas use tax. A use tax of 8.3% (the Whereas sales tax rate) is due on the total paid for the china (including any shipping, handling or freight charges). If the Pennsylvania retailer does not collect Kansas retailers’ use tax of 8.3%, then it is the restaurant’s responsibility to report and pay Kansas consumers’ use tax of 8.3% on its purchase.

    EXAMPLE: Sleep Easy Hotel in Mycity, KS buys 10 mattresses for $2,600 (including shipping) from a retailer in Edmond, OK and has them shipped to Mycity. Kansas consumers’ use tax of 7.3% is due on the amount paid for the mattresses ($2,600 X .073 = $189.80). Since the Oklahoma retailer did not collect Kansas retailers’ use tax, then it is the hotel’s responsibility to report and pay Kansas use tax.

    EXAMPLE: The Sleep Easy Hotel also buys 10 desks from a retailer in Denver, CO. The total purchase price was $2,750. To save shipping and handling charges, the hotel picked the desks up in Denver and paid a Colorado sales tax of 5% (3% state and 2% local). Kansas use tax is due on the difference between 7.15% (Mycity rate) and 5% (Colorado state and local rate) = 2.15%. The Kansas consumers’ use tax due is $63.25 ($2,750 X .023 = $63.25).

    How to report the use tax due on these two purchases by Sleep Easy Hotel described above is illustrated in the steps for completing a CT-10U.

    Kansas use tax applies when the item is used in Kansas, regardless of the location of the buyer or the billing address.

    EXAMPLE: ABC Hotel Corporation’s home office is in Sacramento, CA and operates hotels nationwide, including one in Mycity, KS. The hotel chain’s supplier for guest room furniture is in North Carolina. Orders are transacted between the hotel’s California headquarters and its furniture supplier in North Carolina and shipped to its hotel in Mycity, Kansas. ABC Hotel corporation must pay the 7.3% Kansas consumers’ use tax in effect in Mycity on the total purchase price of the furniture (including freight or shipping).

    Use tax does not apply to items purchased for resale, to ingredient parts, or when the state and local tax paid to another state is more than the Kansas state and local rate in effect at the delivery or ship-to address of the Kansas buyer.

    EXAMPLE: A motel in Anytown, KS purchases 10 mattresses from a retailer in Dallas, TX. The motel picked up the mattresses in Dallas and paid Texas state and local sales tax of 7%. Since the Texas state and local sales tax rate is equal to or greater than the Anytown, KS state and local rate of 6.75%, the Kansas consumers’ use tax is not due.

    Retailers’ Compensating Use Tax

    This is a tax collected by retailers in other states from their Kansas customers. These retailers are required to collect the Kansas retailers’ use tax on their Kansas sales at the rate in effect where the item is shipped because they have a physical presence in Kansas (warehouse, retail outlet, salesmen, etc.), or they have voluntarily registered to collect the retailers’ use tax as a convenience to their Kansas customers.

    EXAMPLE: A hotel in Mytown, Kansas orders linens from a vendor in Joplin, MO costing $300 plus $14 shipping plus Kansas retailers’ use tax of 7.3% (state and local tax rate in Mytown). The Joplin vendor is required to collect the Kansas retailers’ use tax because it delivers into Kansas, and has a warehouse in Kansas City, Kansas.

    CAUTION: Do not add tax to an invoice unless you are assured that the out-of-state vendor is registered with the Kansas Department of Revenue to collect the Kansas retailers’ use tax.

    In the situation above, if the Joplin vendor does not charge tax on the invoice, do not automatically add it because you know that your linen purchase is subject to use tax. If the Joplin vendor is not required to register to collect Kansas retailers’ use tax, they may not have voluntarily registered to collect this Kansas tax either. In this case the Mytown hotel will pay the 7.3% Kansas consumers’ use tax on its $314 linen purchase. CAUTION: When buying from an out-of-state vendor that charges tax on the invoice, be sure that the tax being charged is the correct state and local retailers’ use tax for your Kansas delivery location, and not the state sales tax of the vendor’s home state.

    EXAMPLE: A bed and breakfast in Littletown, KS orders an antique table from a dealer in Amarillo, TX. The cost is $500 plus $20 shipping and an 8% Texas sales tax. The Littletown buyer should contact the Texas antique dealer and advise that Texas sales tax is not due on items shipped into Kansas. If the Texas vendor is registered in Kansas, the Kansas retailers’ use tax will be 8.55%. If the vendor is not registered to collect Kansas use tax, no tax is due the vendor on the invoice — the bed and breakfast will owe 8.55% Kansas consumers’ use tax on the order.

    NOTE: If an out-of-state vender collects the state and local Kansas retailers’ compensating use tax on the selling price of an item, then the Kansas consumer is not required to remit Kansas consumers’ use tax on this purchase.

    CIGARETTES / ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS

    License Requirements

    The sale of cigarettes and tobacco products is subject to sales tax. However, in addition to a sales tax registration, all retailers of these products must have a separate license to sell cigarettes.

    If you are sell cigarettes or electronic cigarettes over-thecounter, you will need a Retail Cigarette/E-Cigarette Dealer’s License. The fee is $25 for each retail location, and must be renewed every two years.

    If you are a distributor or manufacturer of consumable material, or if you are a retailer who sells consumable material on which the consumable material tax has not been paid, you must complete and submit EC-1 Application for Consumable Material Tax Registration, to the Department of Revenue.

    If you are selling cigarettes via cigarette vending machine(s) that you own, each machine must have a permit. Permits are $25 per machine, and must be renewed every two years. Cigarette vending machine owners must also have a cigarette vending machine operator’s master license (no fee required).

    The retail sale of tobacco products, such as cigars, pipe or chewing tobacco and snuff, is subject to sales tax. However, there are no additional licensing requirements for retailers of tobacco products.

    Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax

    Cigarettes sold, distributed or given away in Kansas are also subject to a cigarette tax. However, this tax is paid by the wholesale cigarette dealer before the cigarettes are sold to retailers (such as hotels and restaurants) for resale to the final customer. The cigarette tax applies only to cigarettes. Distributors of tobacco products (cigars, pipe and chewing tobacco and snuff) are subject to the tobacco products tax of 10% on the wholesale price of their products.

    INCOME TAX

    Corporate Income Tax

    Corporate income tax is imposed on the taxable income of every corporation doing business within, or deriving income from, sources within Kansas. The current normal tax rate is 4% of the Kansas taxable income of a corporation with a surtax of 3% on Kansas taxable income over $50,000. Kansas Corporate Income Tax is reported on Form K-120.

    Partnerships, S Corporations

    The taxable income of partnerships and S corporations is not taxed at the partnership or corporate level, but may be taxed on the individual partner’s or shareholder’s income tax return (see Individual Income Tax that follows). An informational return for the partnership or S corporation is also required (Form K-120S).

    Individual Income Tax

    Income tax on profits received by sole proprietors, partners in a partnership, or shareholders of S corporations and most LLCs is reported on the Kansas Individual Income Tax Return (K-40residents, and nonresidents who receive income from Kansas sources, are required to file a Kansas income tax return. (Some exclusions may apply -- see instructions for Form K-40.)

    WITHHOLDING TAX

    This tax is deducted by employers and payors from the wages and other taxable payments made to employees and payees to help pre-pay the income tax liability of that individual. Generally, you are required to withhold Kansas income tax from a payment if federal withholding is required. Withholding is also required on certain taxable non-wage payments. For more information see KW-100, A Guide to Kansas Withholding Tax. See also Tax Registration that follows.

    KANSAS CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER

    FILE, PAY and MAKE UPDATES ELECTRONICALLY

    Most businesses have chosen the KDOR Customer Service Center (KCSC) for their online filing and payment solution. To use this solution, you simply create a user login ID and select a password, then you can attach your business tax accounts. Each tax account has a unique access code that only needs to be entered once. This access code binds your account to your login ID. For future filings, you simply log into your account using your self-selected user login and password. A history of all filed returns and/or payments made is retained in the KCSC.

    WHAT CAN I DO ELECTRONICALLY?

    • Register to collect, file and pay taxes and fees
    • Add new locations
    • Complete and submit a Power of Attorney form
    • Update contact information
    • Update mailing address
    • Upload W-2’s and 1099’s
    • Upload and retain Sales and Compensating Use Tax jurisdictions
    • File the following tax returns:
      • Consumers’ Compensating Use Tax
      • Consumable Material
      • Dry Cleaning and Solvent Fee
      • Liquor Drink and Liquor Enforcement Tax
      • Retailers’ Compensating Use Tax
      • Retailers’ Sales Tax
      • Tire Excise Tax
      • Transient Guest Tax
      • Vehicle Rental Tax
    • Make payments for the following taxes:
      • ABC Taxes and Fees
      • Charitable Gaming
      • Cigarette Tax Stamp Payment
      • Cigarette Tax, Fees, Fines and Bonds
      • Cigarette/Tobacco Fine Payment
      • Cigarette/Tobacco License Fee
      • Consumable Materials Return/Tax Payment
      • Corporate Income Tax
      • Corporate Estimated Income
      • Dry Cleaning And Solvent Fee
      • Fiduciary Income Tax
      • Homestead Claim
      • IFTA
      • Individual Estimated Income
      • Individual Income Tax
      • Liquor Drink and Liquor Enforcement
      • Mineral Tax
      • Motor Fuel
      • Petition for Abatement Service Fee
      • Privilege Tax
      • Privilege Estimated Tax
      • Sales and Use Tax
      • Tire Excise Tax
      • Tobacco Return/Tax Payment
      • Tobacco Tax, Fees, Fines and Bonds
      • Transient Guest Tax
      • Vehicle Rental Excise Tax
      • Withholding Tax

    REQUIREMENTS TO FILE and PAY

    You must have the following in order to file and pay your taxes online:

    • Internet Access
    • Access Code(s) by calling 785-368-8222 or send an email to kdor_businesstaxeservice@ks.gov (kdor_businesstaxeservice@ks.gov)
    • EIN
    • ACH Debit: Kansas Department of Revenue debits the tax payment from your bank account
    • ACH Credit: Complete an EF-101 online to initiate a tax payment through your bank

    Electronic tax payments must settle on or before the due date. Using the KCSC, you may have your tax payment electronically debited from your bank account (ACH Debit) or you may initiate your tax payment through your bank (ACH Credit). This payment method requires a completed authorization EF-101, available on our Customer Service Center.

    Our FREE electronic systems are simple, safe, and conveniently available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will receive immediate confirmation that your return is filed and/or payment is received. If you need assistance with your access code, you may call 785-368-8222 or email kdor_businesstaxeservice@ks.gov (kdor_businesstaxeservice@ks.gov).

    PAY BY CREDIT CARD

    Payment by credit card is available online through third-party vendors. Visit our Electronic Services website at https://www.ksrevenue.gov/taxpayment.html for a current list of vendors authorized to accept individual income tax and business tax payments for Kansas. A convenience fee, based on the amount of tax you are paying, will be charged.

    WIRE TRANSFERS

    Wire Transfers are accepted from both domestic and foreign banking institutions as long as it is received as American currency. For more information call 785-368-8222.

    REGISTRATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

    TAX REGISTRATION

    Before you open your hotel or restaurant, you must have all of the necessary tax registrations. To register with the Division of Taxation to collect all required taxes, visit ksrevenue.gov and sign in to the KDOR Customer Service Center. After you complete the application you will receive your account number and may print your Certificate of Registration. For complete instructions about the application process, obtain Pub. KS-1216, Kansas Business Tax Application and Instructions.

    Retailers registering for the Liquor Drink Tax must post a bond with the Department of Revenue of either $1,000 or 3 months estimated liquor drink tax liability, whichever is greater, and have a liquor license issued by our Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Follow the detailed instructions in Pub. KS-1216 to complete an accurate application.

    GENERAL FILING INFORMATION

    How often you report and pay your taxes depends on the annual amount of taxes collected, with the exception of liquor tax returns, which are remitted monthly. Most hotels and restaurants will remit their sales, withholding, liquor and transient guest taxes on a monthly basis, and file quarterly returns for use taxes. Retailers filing sales tax on a quarterly or annual basis can elect to file the Transient Guest Tax return at the same time. See Pub. KS-1510 for more information.

    Monthly sales, liquor, and transient guest tax returns are due on the 25th of the month following the close of the reporting period; monthly withholding tax returns are due on the 15th of the following month. Returns for other filing frequencies are generally due on the 25th of the month following the end of the reporting period.

    IMPORTANT: You must file a tax return for each reporting period even if you have no taxable sales or tax to report. These returns are called zero-based and the Department of Revenue has a simple, online process for filing them. See information that follows.

    EXAMPLE AND STEPS FOR FILING RETURNS

    A hotel and/or restaurant business may be required to report and remit a number of different taxes administered by the Department of Revenue. To illustrate how to accurately report the amount of sales and taxes collected, examples and sample completed returns for Kansas Retailers’ Sales, Transient Guest, Liquor Drink, and Consumers’ Compensating Use Taxes and the Dry Cleaning Environmental Surcharge begin below.

    NOTE: The examples provided are for illustration purposes only and may not contain the most current tax rates.

    EXAMPLE: ABC Corporation operates a hotel/restaurant combination business in Mycity, Kansas. The hotel operates under the “dba” name of Sleep Easy Hotel and the restaurant operates under the “dba” Arthur’s. In addition to sales tax collections on the rental of sleeping rooms and meals and nonalcoholic drinks all served in the restaurant, ABC Corporation also remits sales tax on retail sales made in its gift shop, from its own vending machines and from dry cleaning services. Arthur’s serves alcoholic beverages and is therefore remitting the liquor drink tax. Sleep Easy Hotel sends its guest’s laundry to a third party and collects the environmental dry cleaning surcharge (as well as sales tax) on the gross receipts it receives for this service. Finally, ABC Corporation purchases supplies, furniture and fixtures from vendors located outside of the state of Kansas that are consequently subject to consumers’ compensating use tax. The financial information needed to complete the returns follows. (All figures are without tax unless otherwise indicated.)

    ABC Corporation
    2400 E Main Ave
    Sample KS 67260

    Federal Employer Identification Number: 48-1234567
    Retailers' Sales Tax Account Number: 004-481234567F-01
    Consumers’ Compensating Tax Account Number: 006-481234567F-01
    Liquor Drink Tax Account Number: 021-481234567-F01
    Dry Cleaning Tax Account Number: 018-481234567-F01
    Transient Guest Tax Account Number: 015-481234567-F01

    RETAILERS' SALES TAX (FORM ST-36):

    Gross receipts $ 403,658.32
    From sleeping rooms $ 242,656.23
    From vending, gift shop, dry cleaning & restaurant $ 160,959.00

    • Vending machine ($12,127.70/1.063 = $11,408.94 without tax) $ 11,408.94
    • Gift shop$ 5,657.43
    • Dry cleaning $ 892.85
    • Restaurant $ 142,999.78
      • Liquor sales $ 37,329.05
      • Restaurant food sales $ 105,670.73

    Merchandise Consumed

    Cost of merchandise consumed (purchased without tax) $ 5,392.88
    Free meals to non-restaurant employees and guests $ 2,456.00
    Consumables (toilet paper, facial tissue, etc.) used by hotel $ 2,936.88

    Deductions

    Sales to U.S. government, state of Kansas, or political subdivisions $ 28,933.51
    Other allowable deductions (501(c)(3) zoos & religious organizations) $ 1,265.07
    Alcoholic beverage sales $ 37,329.05

    Tax

    Sales tax due for next month $ 9,500.00
    (The tax for the current month is the tax imposed on sales made for the first 15 days of this current month. A retailer will be in compliance with the requirements to pay the first 15 days liability for this current month if the retailer remits 90% of the liability for that 15 day period or if the retailer remits 50% of the total tax due for the same month of the prior year.)
    Sales tax paid from last month $ 10,500.00

    TRANSIENT GUEST TAX (FORM TG-1):

    Gross receipts from sleeping rooms: $ 242,656.23
    Receipts from direct room rentals to the federal government $ 1,000.00
    Receipts from room rentals of over 28 consecutive days $ 745.00

    LIQUOR DRINK TAX (FORM LD-1):

    Liquor sales $41,061.95 including tax ($41,061.95/1.1 = $37,329.05 without tax) $ 37,329.05

    DRY CLEANING ENVIRONMENTAL SURCHARGE (FORM DC-36):

    Dry Cleaning $ 892.85

    CONSUMERS’ COMPENSATING USE TAX (FORM CT-10U):

    Purchase price (from examples beginning on page 13) $ 5,350.00

    ST-36 (Retailers’ Sales Tax).

    The following steps illustrate how the sales tax information from the example on the previous page is reported using an electronic version of an accelerated monthly ST-36. Although this example is for a single jurisdiction filing, the ST-36 is also used to report sales for a business with multiple locations.

    Step 1

    Go to https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/kcsc/login.aspx to begin the filing process. Sign into the KDOR Customer Service Center (KCSC). If you are a first time user click Register Now; if already registered, click Sign In.

    Step 2

    After signing in to the KCSC, click Account Management to manage existing accounts or add new accounts to your current business accounts.

    To add a new use tax account, click Add an Existing or Register a New account to this login and follow the instructions on the screen.

    To file a return for a current account, locate that account in the list, then click Manage Account in the far right-hand column.

    NOTE: Accounts that you add will be retained in the system for future filing periods.

    Step 3

    To begin filing your return, click File a sales tax return under the Account Management heading. An informational page will appear with messages regarding important updates and/or tips for using the system. Please take the time to read this information before clicking Continue.

    Step 4

    Review the information for the account you added. From the drop-down menu options, select your filing period, July, and tax year then click the radio button for the return type. In this example, select Original. You may choose to have the KCSC remember your jurisdictions by clicking that radio button, or you have the option to upload from another file or enter them manually. Make your selection and click Continue.

    Step 5

    To add the applicable jurisdictions to this filing period, click Add Jurisdictions. Enter the jurisdiction code or the jurisdiction name, then click Lookup Jurisdiction. From the list, choose the appropriate jurisdiction (for example, Wichita is WICSG) and click Add Selected. Repeat this step until all applicable jurisdictions have been added, then click Continue.

    Step 6

    Under Kansas Gross Sales enter the gross receipts (taxable and nontaxable) for the month in each local jurisdiction. For this example, the total gross sales is $403,658.32. This includes gross receipts from all sales (taxable & nontaxable) by ABC Corporation.

    Step 7

    Enter under Merchandise Consumed By You the cost of the goods consumed (used by ABC Corporation) upon which no sales tax has been paid. The merchandise consumed in this example is $5,392.88. This figure represents the cost of free meals to nonrestaurant employees and disposable items such as facial tissue and toilet paper used in common areas (non-sleeping rooms) of the hotel.

    Step 8

    Enter under (Non-Utility) Deductions the total deductions - sales not subject to sales tax. Deductions include both nontaxable and exempt sales. In this example, the deductions are sales to exempt entities (government - $28,933.51; zoos and religious organizations - $1,265.07) and alcoholic beverage sales - $37,329.05; total of $67,527.63. Click Calculate and verify the net tax amounts, then click Continue.

    Step 9

    Complete Part II. Itemize by category the deductions for all business locations on the applicable line. For this example, report on line c the $28,933.51 in direct sales of sleeping rooms and meals to exempt government entities. Report on line h the $1,265.07 in sales to qualifying exempt religious and nonprofit organizations. (ABC Corporation should have completed exemption certificates from each of these exempt buyers.) Finally, report the alcoholic beverage sales of $37,329.05 on line k. (This last figure is also the starting point for this month’s Liquor Drink return on page 19). Click Calculate and Continue.

    NOTE: Line O of Part II should equal the total of (Non- Utility) Deductions from Part III.

    Step 10

    The Net Tax from Part III is displayed on the appropriate lines of Part I. Since ABC Corporation is on an accelerated monthly filing status, you must enter the estimate of next month’s tax liability on line 4, which is $9,500. Then enter the amount from line 4 of the previous month’s return ($10,500) on line 5. Click Calculate to get your Total Amount Due, then click Continue.

    Step 11

    Select your payment option: ACH Debit, ACH Credit, or Check w/Voucher. For definitions of the ACH Credit and ACH Debit payment options, see page 15. Click Continue for the verification screen. Verify all entries and click Submit Return.

    TG-1 (Transient Guest Tax).

    Transient guest tax is imposed on the gross receipts received from the rental of sleeping rooms (in addition to Kansas retailers’ sales tax). From our example on page 17, Sleep Easy Hotel had gross receipts from the rental of sleeping rooms totaling $242,656.23 (line 1 of the return). Transient guest tax is due on all gross receipts except direct purchases by the United States government ($1,000) and rentals for a period of more than 28 consecutive days ($745), for total deductions on line 2 of $1,745.

    LD-1 (Liquor Drink Tax).

    Liquor drink tax is imposed on the gross receipts received from the sale of alcoholic beverages. From our example on page 17, ABC Hotel Corporation had total gross receipts of $403,658.32 (line 1), and Arthur’s gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages of $37,329.05 (line 2). Note that the $37,329.05 is the same figure reported in Part II, line k of the ST-36 (see Step 9 on page 18). In this example, Arthur’s had no direct purchases by the federal government. The Liquor drink tax is 10 percent of the gross receipts reported on line 2 which computes to $3,732.91 (lines 3 and 10).

    CT-10U (Consumers’ Compensating Use Tax).

    The following steps illustrate how the two use tax purchases by ABC Hotel Corporation from the example on page 17 is reported using an electronic version of a CT-10U.

    Step 1

    Go to ksrevenue.gov to begin the filing process. Sign into the KDOR Customer Service Center (KCSC). If you are a first time user click Register Now; if already registered, click Sign In.

    Step 2

    After signing in to the KCSC, click Account Management to manage existing accounts or add new accounts to your current business accounts.

    To add a new use tax account, click Add an Existing or Register a New Account to this Login and follow the instructions on the screen.

    To file a return for a current account, locate that account in the list, then click Manage Account in the far right-hand column.

    NOTE: Accounts that you add will be retained in the system for future filing periods.

    Step 3

    To begin filing your return, click File a tax return under the Account Management heading. An informational page will appear with messages regarding important updates and/or tips for using the system. Please take the time to read this information before clicking Continue.

    Step 4

    Review the information for the account you added. From the drop-down menu options, select your filing period, July, and tax year then click the radio button for the return type. In this example, select Original. You may choose to have the KCSC remember your jurisdictions by clicking that radio button, or you have the option to upload from another file or enter them manually. Make your selection and click Continue.

    Step 5

    To add the applicable jurisdictions to this filing period, click Add Jurisdictions. Enter the jurisdiction code or the jurisdiction name, then click Lookup Jurisdiction. From the list, choose the appropriate jurisdiction and click Add Selected. Repeat this step until all applicable jurisdictions have been added, then click Continue.

    Step 6

    Enter under Total Taxable the total cost of out-of-state purchases subject to Kansas use tax. These are noninventory items purchased without tax, or on which the state and local tax paid is less than the rate in your area.

    Mattresses from Edmond, OK $2,600
    Desks from Denver $2,750
    Total purchases $5,350

    Step 7

    Enter under Tax Paid in Another State, the amount of sales tax paid to another state for purchases. For this example enter $137.50 for the Colorado state and local tax (5 percent) paid on the desks purchased from Denver: $2,750 X .05 = $137.50. Click Calculate and Continue.

    Step 8

    Verify information shown in Part I. If correct, click Calculate and Continue.

    Step 9

    Select your payment option: ACH Debit, ACH Credit, or Check w/Voucher. For definitions of the ACH Credit and ACH Debit payment options, see page 15. Click Continue for the verification screen. Verify all entries and click Submit Return.

    DC-36 (Environmental Surcharge and Solvent Fee).

    The dry cleaning environmental surcharge is imposed on the gross receipts from the sale of dry cleaning or laundering services (in addition to Kansas retailers’ sales tax). From the example on page 17, Sleep Easy Hotel had gross receipts from the sale of dry cleaning services totaling $892.85 (Line 1, Part I). The surcharge is due on all gross receipts except for the sales to exempt entities listed on page 5. In this example Sleep Easy Hotel had no exempt sales of dry cleaning or laundering services (Line 2, Part 1). The dry cleaning environmental surcharge is 2.5% of the gross receipts reported on Line 3, Part 1 which computes to $22.32 (Line 4, Part I and Line 1, Part 3).

    ADDITONAL INFORMATION

    WHEN IN DOUBT...

    The application of Kansas tax laws can be complex at times. However, customers of the Kansas Department of Revenue have access to resources that can assist them in properly carrying out their tax obligations.

    Kansas Laws and Regulations

    Rules that govern sales and use tax and define the responsibilities of each business owner, taxpayer, and the Kansas Department of Revenue are contained in two sets of documents: Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.) and Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R).

    The K.S.A. is a collection of all the statutes of the state of Kansas. Statutes are bills that have been passed by both houses of the state Legislature, and signed into law by the Governor, or that become law within 10 days of passage without the Governor’s signature. Annotated means the law contains commentaries and explanatory notes. K.S.A.’s are organized by Chapter and Article. Kansas retailers’ sales and use tax statutes are in Chapter 79.

    K.A.R.s are based on the law and have the same impact as a law, even though they are not enacted through the legislative process. Instead, each state agency submits proposed regulations to the Secretary of Administration and the Attorney General for approval, and a public hearing is held. The regulations (with approved revisions) are then adopted, published in the Kansas Register, and become effective 45 days later.

    The purpose of most permanent regulations is to provide administrative solutions to common problems and situations, and to more clearly define how a statute applies to specific circumstances. Regulations are organized by state agency. The Department of Revenue Regulations are in Chapter 92.

    IMPORTANT: Each regulation is based on or receives its authority from a statute, and does not conflict with the statute. However, regulations are not changed at the same time statutes are changed. When a change in the statute causes a regulation to be in conflict with the statute, the statute overrides the regulation.

    Complete sets of the K.S.A. and K.A.R.s are available to the general public in libraries throughout the state. The tax laws and regulations are also a part of our Policy Information Library on our website.

    Key Statutes and Regulations

    The following list contains the statutes and regulations used to prepare this publication.

    Statutes
    • K.S.A. 12-189a – Local sales tax
    • K.S.A. 12-191 – Situs of local sales tax
    • K.S.A. 65-163 – Public water supply fee
    • K.S.A. 79-3602 – Sales tax definitions
    • K.S.A. 79-3603 – Taxing statute for sales tax
    • K.S.A. 79-3606 – Exempting statute for sales tax
    • K.S.A. 79-3609 – Sales tax records
    • K.S.A. 79-3647 – Sales tax & water protection fee
    • K.S.A. 79-3701 et seq. – Compensating tax
    • K.S.A. 82a-954 – Water protection fee
    • K.S.A. 82a-2101 – Clean drinking water fee
    Regulations
    • K.A.R. 92-19-25b – Exemption certificates
    • K.A.R. 92-19-66e – Project exemptions
    • K.A.R. 92-21-6 – Application of local sales tax
    • K.A.R. 92-21-9 – Place of sale for utility sales

    Revenue Notices and Private Letter Rulings

    Despite the length and detail of the statutes and regulations, questions and situations frequently arise that require interpretation of the law. DO NOT rely upon a verbal opinion from the Kansas Department of Revenue on issues of taxability not specifically addressed in the law. To assist you in understanding how the law applies to your business, the Kansas Department of Revenue issues three types of written advice: revenue notices, revenue rulings, and private letter rulings. These written materials are binding on the department and may be relied upon as long as the statute or regulation on which they are based is not altered by the Legislature, changed by a court decision, or the ruling itself is modified or rescinded by the Kansas Department of Revenue.

    Revenue notices and rulings are periodically provided to the general public — usually in response to a change in the law, recent court decisions, or areas of sales tax application affecting a large number of taxpayers. If you receive notices or rulings, keep them with this publication for future reference.

    A private letter ruling, issued at the request of an individual taxpayer, interprets the law based on the circumstances of that taxpayer. Requests for private letter rulings must be in writing, and state specifically the circumstances and facts surrounding the issue. Address your request to:

    Tax Policy Group
    Kansas Department of Revenue
    PO Box 3506
    Topeka, KS 66601-3506
    Fax: 785-296-7928

    The ruling will be issued within 30 days after your request (and any additional information necessary for the ruling) is received. A private letter ruling applies ONLY to the taxpayer for whom it is issued. It cannot be cited or relied upon by any other taxpayer.

    Policy Information Library (PIL)

    As a service to taxpayers, a library of policy information for all taxes administered by the Kansas Department of Revenue is available on our website. The policy library contains Kansas Statutes and Regulations, Revenue Notices, Revenue Rulings and other written advice issued by the Kansas Department of Revenue. Private letter rulings are also included but these letters have been “scrubbed” to protect taxpayers’ privacy – information that might identify the taxpayer, (i.e., name, address, etc.) is blanked out.

    FOOD AND LODGING REQUIREMENTS

    Businesses that will engage in the distribution, manufacture, or preparation of food must meet a variety of requirements designed to protect the public and must apply for a license from the Kansas Department of Agriculture to operate. Lodging facilities must also comply with applicable regulations and obtain a license.

    If you plan to build or remodel a restaurant or lodging establishment, you are required to submit plans to the Department of Agriculture prior to construction or remodeling.

    Information about these responsibilities, license applications, and food service complaint forms can be found on their website: http://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/ food-safety-lodging

    Local License and Occupations Taxes

    Kansas law (Chapter 12) allows localities to impose license or occupation taxes for the privilege of engaging in any business, trade, occupation or profession. The imposition and rates of such taxes are locally determined by home rule ordinance. Because each city has its own regulations, permits and taxes, contact the city hall where your hotel or restaurant is located for information about any local licenses, certifications or fees required.

    Cereal Malt Beverage (CMB License)

    On-premise cereal malt beverage (beer containing 3.2% alcohol or less) licenses may be obtained from the local unit of government. There are no food sales requirements for CMB licenses. CMB may be served between the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 midnight Monday through Saturday. Sunday sales are allowed only if the establishment meets a 30% food sales requirement identical to drinking establishments. CMB license fees are $25. In addition to the CMB license, cities or counties may also levy an annual occupation or license tax from the licensee in an amount not less than $100 but not more than $250.

    OTHER EMPLYER RESPONSIBILITIES

    Kansas Unemployment Tax

    The Kansas Employment Security Law was enacted to provide some income during limited unemployment for those who are out of work due to conditions in the economy and through no fault of their own. All Kansas employers are required to file a report with the Kansas Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security to determine their unemployment tax status. Although all employers doing business in Kansas are subject to the provisions of the Employment Security Law, not all employers are subject to the taxing provisions of the law.

    Employers who begin business operations in Kansas are required to file a K-CNS 010 Employer Status Report within 15 days of the date wages were first paid for employment. Upon receipt of the completed form, a determination of employer liability will be made and the employer will be notified if liability is established. For additional information about your responsibilities under the Kansas Employment Security Law or to obtain the Status Report, contact the Kansas Department of Labor by phone at 785-296-5000 or through their website: www.KansasEmployer.gov

    Kansas Workers Compensation

    Workers compensation is a private insurance plan where the benefits are not paid by the State of Kansas but rather by the employer, generally through an insurance carrier. For more information on Kansas Unemployment Tax or Kansas Workers Compensation contact the Kansas Department of Labor by phone at 785-296-5000 or through their website: www.dol.ks.gov

    Safety and Health

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) outlines specific health and safety standards adopted by the following website: www.osha.gov

    The Industrial Safety and Health Section of the Kansas Department of Labor offers free safety and health consultations. For additional information, visit the Kansas Department of Labor’s website at: www.dol.ks.gov

    U. S. Department of Labor

    The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the federal law that sets minimum wage, overtime, record keeping and child labor standards. For specific details regarding these laws, contact the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor by phone at 1-866-487-9243 or through their website: www.dol.gov/whd/contact_us.htm

    Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

    The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, providing coverage for employment, public services, government, telecommunications and transportation. Reasonable accommodations must be provided for known disabilities of applicants for employment and employees. For information about your responsibilities under this act, contact the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns toll-free at 1-800-295-5232.

    OTHER TAXES AND EXEMPTIONS

    Personal Property Tax

    Hotels and restaurants in Kansas are also subject to the county personal property tax on business use property — equipment, fixtures, vehicles, etc. This county tax is an “ad valorem” tax — a tax that is based upon the value of the property. It is similar to the personal property tax paid each year by individual Kansans on their vehicles, boats and taxable personal property.

    Anyone owning tangible personal property with the intent to establish a business (including home occupations) must file a Commercial Personal Property Statement with the County Appraisal office in the county in which the business is or will be located. This business property listing by type (called a rendition) is completed annually by March 15, with the tax billed in November. The first half of the tax is due on December 20 of that year and the second half is due the following May 10.

    Contact the County Appraiser’s office for the county in which your hotel or restaurant is located for more information.

    Project Exemptions

    If you are building a new hotel or restaurant, or expanding an existing one, you may qualify to obtain a project exemption for that project under the economic development incentives present in the law at K.S.A. 74-50,115. A project exemption will allow you and all of the contractors on the project to purchase all the materials, equipment and labor for the project without sales tax.

    BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORY

    Kansas Department of Commerce.

    This agency provides a wealth of resource and referral information for businesses. Contact them by phone at 785-296-3481 or visit their website: kansascommerce.gov

    Kansas Secretary of State.

    Contact this office to register a corporation in Kansas or to obtain corporate annual reports. Call 785-296-4564 or visit their website: sos.ks.gov

    Small Business Administration (SBA).

    The U.S. Small Business Administration is a federal agency dedicated to serving the needs of America’s small businesses. Assistance is provided in the areas of business development, loans, exporting and procurement programs. There are two district offices for Kansas or you may visit their website: sba.gov

    Wichita District Office 316-269-6166
    Kansas City District Office 816-426-4900

    Kansas Small Business Development Centers (KSBDCs).

    These campus-based centers specialize in providing direct one-on-one counseling on small business issues. There are 18 KSBDC locations throughout Kansas. For more information call the main office (785-296-6514 or 877-625-7232) or visit their website: kansassbdc.net/

    KANSAS EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES

    WHAT ARE EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES

    Exemption certificates are an important part of sales and use tax record keeping, but are often found lacking by our auditors. The information in this section will help you properly complete and accept exemption certificates. Pub. KS-1520, Kansas Exemption Certificates, is also a helpful resource. This publication contains all the exemption certificates currently in use and provides detailed information about each exemption. The publication is available on our website.

    Before accepting any certificate, carefully read the exemption statement and the accompanying explanation and instructions. Most certificates contain a restatement of the Kansas law (K.S.A. – Kansas Statutes Annotated), or regulation (K.A.R. – Kansas Administrative Regulations) authorizing the exemption. If your customer or the purchase does not fit the definition in the certificate or the exempt examples given, the sale is probably not exempt.

    The Kansas Exempt Entity Identification Number and Certificate are designed to help retailers and exempt customers complete the certificate process, not to replace it. See NOTICE 04-10 on our website.

    Completing an Exemption Certificate

    Follow these three rules when completing any exemption certificate.

    1. Print or type all information, except for the authorized signature. The information on the certificate must be legible both to you and to our auditors. Do not print a signature on paper forms, although it is often helpful to print or type the name below the signature. (A signature is not required on an electronic exemption certificate.)
    2. Fill in all the blanks. A certificate is complete only when all the information is provided. If there is a blank on the form, it must be filled in. Addresses must include the street or PO Box, city, state, and zip code.

      When the certificate requires a tax registration number, be sure your customer provides it. An exemption certificate is not complete unless the customer supplies the proper registration number(s). A seller may lawfully require a copy of the buyer’s sales tax certificate of registration as a condition of honoring the ST-28A Resale Exemption Certificate. [K.A. R. 92-19-25b]
    3. Give specific descriptions. Be as precise as possible when describing the property or services purchased. You may use an itemized list, refer to an itemized invoice number, or at the very least provide a general description of the items. When describing a business activity, include the principal product(s) sold or manufactured.

    Blanket Exemption Certificates

    If you make recurring exempt sales of the same type to the same purchaser, it is not necessary to have an exemption certificate for each transaction. You may accept a blanket exemption certificate to cover future sales. ST-28M and ST-28A on page 30 may be used as a blanket certificate.

    IMPORTANT: When you use a blanket exemption certificate for your regular exempt customers, ask them to verify or renew this document every year. Renewing yearly will help guarantee that the exempt customer’s information (i.e., exact business name and location, tax account number, etc.) remains accurate and up-to-date.

    CAUTION: When you use blanket exemption certificates, you should segregate any taxable purchases from that vendor and pay for them separately. Each buyer signs the exemption certificate acknowledging responsibility for payment of the tax if:

    “... the tangible personal property or service is used other than as stated ... or for any other purpose that is not exempt from sales or compensating tax ...”

    Record Keeping

    Keep all sales tax records, including exemption certificates and copies of tax exemption cards (Kansas or diplomatic), for your current year of business and at least three prior years.

    Penalties for Misuse

    A buyer who issues an exemption certificate in order to unlawfully avoid payment of the tax for business or personal gain is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction may be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned for up to a year, or both. When a buyer is found to have used a Resale Exemption Certificate (ST-28A) to avoid payment of the tax, the director may also increase any penalty due on the tax by $250 or 10 times the tax due, whichever is greater, for each transaction where the misuse of a Resale Exemption Certificate occurred.

    FORMS AND CERTIFICATES

    The following pages have many of the sales and use tax forms and exemption certificates used by Hotels, Motels and Restaurants. You may reproduce any form in this publication as needed or download the certificates from our website at ksrevenue.gov.

    TAX ASSISTANCE CENTER

    Many business questions can be answered by the customer representatives in our Taxpayer Assistance Center in Topeka. However, like many businesses, the Department of Revenue uses an automated answering system to direct incoming phone calls to the appropriate area.

    This publication is a general guide and will not address every situation. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact taxpayer assistance at the Kansas Department of Revenue.

    Taxpayer Assistance Center
    Scott Office Building
    120 SE 10th Ave
    PO Box 3506
    Topeka, KS 66625-3506
    Phone: 785-368-8222
    Fax: 785-291-3614
    ksrevenue.gov

    Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday.

    PUBLICATIONS

    Below is a list of publications available on the Kansas Department of Revenue’s website. These publications contain instructions applicable to specific business industries and general information for all business owners.

    STATE SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOPS

    As part of our commitment to provide tax assistance to the business community, Tax Specialists within the Kansas Department of Revenue conduct small business workshops on Kansas taxes at various locations throughout Kansas. Whether you are a new business owner, an existing business owner, or an accountant, these workshops will give you the tools and understanding necessary to make Kansas taxes easier and less time consuming for you. Topics covered include filing and reporting requirements and methods, what is taxable, what is exempt and how to work with the department in collecting and remitting Kansas taxes. For a schedule of our workshops, visit our website. Pre-registration is required and a fee may be charged by the sponsoring Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

    Rev. 02-21